Folding crate for berry-boxes, &amp;c.



E. L.. WALKER.

FOLDING CRATE FO RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR APPLIOATI ooooooooooooooooooo N o u o D E L a s n E n T s s H n n T 1.

l19.101511TED JUNE 28, i904.

EATENTED JUNE 23, 1904.

E. L. WALKER.

FOLDING GEATE PoE BERRY BOXES, Ew.

APPLICATION FILED 09T. 20. 1903.`

I N0 `MODEL.

INvENToRzm o@ @f/l/ ATTEST :l--

PATENTED JUNE 28, 1904.

E. L. WALKER. v FOLDING CRATE FORBERRY BOXES, &o.

APPLIUAIION FILED 00T. 20` 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

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1 IMIENTOR z- A TTEST m Q@ WM l BY//M' ,Momfm/ vf/o A ATTYS atented .Tune 28, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENOS L wALKEa OE- ST. LOUIS, MISSOUE'I.

FOLDING CRATE FOR BERRY-BOXES, ae.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,579, dated June 28, 1904.

i Application led October Z0, 1903. Serial No. 177,822. (No model.)

To (LN, w/wm `7115 naa/y concern: y

Beit known that I, ENOS L. WALKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cratesv for Berry-Boxes and the Like, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in l. folding crates for berry-boxes and the like;

ter shown,'described, and claimed.

In ,the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective .View of my improved crate with one of the lid-sections opened and the other closedl Fig. 2 is al perspective view of my crate opened up. Fig. 3i is a detail perspective view, with partsbroken away, of one cornerof the crate.

. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of my improved F1g.-5 1s a transverse Section of my crateimproved crate. A

The object of my invention is toY make a folding crate of wooden veneer, strongV and durable, and out of as little material as possible.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the wooden-veneer pieces constituting the bottom. of the crate. Secured to the ends of the pieces 1 are wooden strips 2, and secured to the middle of said pieces is a wooden strip 3, the said strips 2 and 3 being of the Same construction, and said strips are furthermore provided with Athe grooves 4. Said strips are also provided with inclined cut-away ends 5, said ends being cut away at an angle of fortyve degrees.

6 indicates strips of material which are secured to the ends of the strips 2 and 3 by means of flexible metallic straps 7. The said strips 6 are provided with grooves8 and also with inclined or cut-away ends 9, the Same being cut away at an angle of forty-five degrees. A Y

When the strips 6 are secured to the strips 2 and 3, as stated, the .grooves 8 of the strips 6 and the grooves 4 of the strips 2 and 3 are in perfect alinement. Secured to the other ends of the strips 2 and 3 are stripslO, the

said strips 10 being secured to the strips `2. and 3 by means of flexible metallic straps 11.

The strips 10 are provided with grooves 12, which lie in alinement with the grooves 4 of strips2 and V3 and the grooves 8 of Strips 6. The strips l() are also provided with cut-away ends l13, the same being out away at an anl gle of forty-five degrees.

Secured to the stripsf6 is a wooden-veneer piece 14, which forms one side of the crate,

and secured to the strips 10 is a wooden-veneer piece 15, which forms the other side of the crate. Thepieces 14 and 15 and the piece 1 are respectively Secured to the strips ,6, .2, 3,' and 10 by means of staples 16. Said staples 16 are driven through the pieces 14, 1, and 15 and through the Strips 6, 2, 3, and

10,' the prongs of said staples straddling the grooves 8, 4, and 12 and are clenched on the The object of this construction is the grooves will necessarily tend to strengthen the same.

When the wooden-veneer pieces 14 and 15 have been isecured to -the strips 6 and 10, openings 17 are formed, which permit of ventilation to the interior of the crate. The pieces 1 are also spaced apart to save material and permit of Ventilation to the inside of the crate. Secured to the strips 6 by means of iexible metallic straps 18 isapiece 19, which forms a portion of the'lid of the crate, and secured to the strips 10 is a wooden-veneer piece 20, which forms the other portion of the lid of the crate. The piece 2O is secured to the strips 10 by means of flexible metallic straps 21.

I have heretofore described the bottom, sides,and lid of the crate. I will now proceed to describe the construction of the ends and how the ends are applied to the crate, it v IOO desired.

an outside reinforcing-strip 23 and an inside reinforcing-strip 24. The said reinforcingstrips 23 and 24 are of less length than the combined width of the pieces 22. In other words, the pieces 22 project beyond the ends of the reinforcing-strips 23 and 24 a sufficient distance to take up the depth of the grooves formed in the strips 6 and 10. Secured on the inside of the pieces 22, which constitute the crate, are strips 25. rIhe center partition of the crate is constructed similar to the ends of the crate-that is, withv reinforcing-strips at the top edge and having located on each side thereof` a central strip 26, the strips 25 of the ends of the crate and the strips 26 of the central partition of the crate answering as a support for the partition-shelves 27.

When the ends of the crate and the central partition have been constructed as described and when it is desired to assemble the crate, the lower edges of said ends and central partition and the sides thereof are inserted in the grooves of the strips 6, 2, 3, and 10 and are held in said position by means of the flexible metallic straps 28, one end of said straps being secured to the sides'of the crate and the other end being bent over and tacked to the ends and central partition of the crate. (See Figs. l and 3 for illustration.)

The pieces 19 and 20, constituting the lid of the crate, are held closed by means of the staples 29, which are driven through said pieces and into the ends and the central partition of the crate.

When the crate is shipped knocked down, the pieces 19 and 20 are folded under the pieces 14 and 15, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and as many of said crates may be piled upon each other as desired, the ends and central partitions being nested separately, if rl`he crate is so constructed that when shipped in its knockdown condition it carries with it all the parts necessary to assemble it, and all that is necessary to be done is to insert the ends and central partition, as

heretofore described, and secure the free ends of the straps 28 to said ends and central partition when the crate is set up.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have constructed a crate which is made principally of wooden veneer and which is very light and compact, easily knocked down and assembled, and which is especially designed for wooden-veneer berry-boxes.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is- As an article of manufacture, a folding crate for berry-boxes and the like, comprising the Wooden -veneer pieces l; the grooved strips 2 secured to the ends of the pieces 1; the grooved strip 3 secured to the middle of the pieces 1; the metal straps 7 secured to the ends of the strips 2 and 3; the metal straps 11 secured to the opposite ends of said strips; the grooved strips 6 secured to thel straps 7 the grooved strips 10 secured to the straps 11; the wooden-veneer piece 14 secured to the strips 6; the wooden-veneer piece 15 secured to the strips 10; all of said veneer pieces being secured by means of staples 16;y the prongs of said staples straddling the grooves in said strips; the straps 18 secured to the strips 6; the lid 19 secured to the straps 18; the straps 21 secured to the stri ps 10; the lid 2O secured to the straps 21; the veneer pieces 22; the reinforcing-strips 23 and 24 applied to said veneer pieces; the strips 25 secured to the insides of the veneer pieces 22; the center partition having the strips 26 on each side; the shelves 27 resting upon the strips 25 and 26; and the strap 28 securing the ends and center in position; substantially as specified.

lIn testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ENOS L. WALKER. 

